Ruben Amorim had agreed to become Liverpool manager – CLAIMS

Ruben Amorim had agreed to become the next manager of Liverpool Football Club, but the proposed switch fell through at the 11th hour due to demands that were made by Sporting president Francisco Varandas.

During the intense search for a new manager, we reported on Varandas’ growing weariness with media speculation and distractions surrounding Liverpool’s interest in Amorim. This intrigue unfolded against the backdrop of a closely contested title race between Sporting and Benfica. Reports from Portugal indicated that Varandas might u-turn on a €10million compensation fee he had verbally agreed upon with Amorim and fresh claims now suggest this scenario indeed played out.

While initial narratives attributed Liverpool’s withdrawal to demands from Amorim’s agent, Christian Falk, Head of Football at Sport Bild, offers a different perspective. According to Falk, it was Sporting that ultimately scuppered the deal, not the Amorim camp. He revealed: “I found out why the transfer of Ruben Amorim to Liverpool fell through in the end. Everything had already been negotiated and the contracts were ready to be signed.

“Sporting would have received a transfer fee of €10m, as had been agreed. However, the president of Sporting, Francisco Varandas, is said to have changed his mind at the last minute. Suddenly, the president demanded €20m and spontaneously doubled the price.

“Liverpool did not want to play the game. That was bitter for Amorim, who would have loved to become Jürgen Klopp’s successor.”

Liverpool’s abrupt shift in interest toward Arne Slot, considered an unconventional choice, found acceptance among supporters. They perceived Amorim as driven solely by financial motives, while Slot appeared more humble and eager to assume the managerial role.

Falk’s claims resonate with what we heard at the time. It’s difficult not to consider the influence of Amorim’s agent, Raul Costa, and Portuguese journalist, Pedro Sepúlveda AKA Pedro the Parrot, in Liverpool missing out on securing Amorim.

Anfield’s official stance, echoed by Liverpool’s inner circle of journalists, maintains that Amorim was never formally offered a contract. Instead, they claim that Arne Slot was always the preferred candidate to succeed Jurgen Klopp.

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